Auditory Processing Disorder Testing

“It’s such a relief to understand my hearing problem and have experts to help me solve it.”

One of the most important functions of an Audiologist is to perform tests that assess a patient’s ability to process sound. In the simplest terms, Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) may be defined as a listening problem, not a hearing loss problem. People with APD hear words and sounds just fine; however the brain is not able to process the information it receives accurately or quickly enough.

APD can occur on its own, or may be related to autism spectrum disorder, non-verbal learning disabilities, dyslexia, delayed language problems, and other health challenges.

Signs of APD

People who are experiencing APD may

Behave as if they have a hearing loss even when their abilities are normal

Have poor reading and spelling skills despite high intelligence

Be easily distracted by background and ambient noise

Have trouble following directions, whether they are simple or complex

Ask people to repeat themselves frequently

Seems confused by what is expected of him/her

React negatively to loud sounds

Diagnosis of APD

Your Audiologist will conduct a series of tests to determine the cause of your APD and to identify an appropriate course of treatment. These hearing tests evaluate:

Peripheral auditory system

Binaural integration and separation

Temporal patterning

Auditory closure

Auditory figure-ground discrimination

Binaural interaction

Language processing assessment

In some instances, particularly with school-age children, a speech and language assessment by a speech-language pathologist and a psycho-educational assessment by an educational psychologist/consultant may be indicated.

APD Treatment

There is no single treatment of APD. A treatment program must be tailored to meet the specific needs and types of disorder of the patient so that they may

Improve access and interpretation of incoming auditory and verbal information

Address deficit areas directly

Learn how to maximize the use of auditory information.

Deficit-specific, formal and informal auditory training

Frequency Modulated (FM) Systems

Computer-assisted therapy such as Fast ForWord and Earobics

Environmental modification

Training of compensatory skills

Language processing training

Speech and language therapy

Audio Processing Treatment Disorder testing by competent Audiologists is a painless procedure and provides critical information that can be used to help patients function at their highest potential at work, school, and play.